China at a Glance
Minorities Separating China since 1949
Korean | Yao | Naxi | Mongol | Tibetan
November 2013 Special Issue 1
Contents
December 2013 Features Contributors (pg. 4) Editor’s Note (pg. 6) A Look into the Steppes (pg. 8) The Journey into the Unknown (pg. 13) Adding Korean Spice to a Chinese Soup (pg. 17) Timeless China (pg. 22) Woven Dreams to Tibet (pg. 27) Do You Know Your Cultural Vocabulary? (pg. 31) Useful Contacts (pg. 32 ~ 33) Useful Phrases in English and Chinese (pg. 34 ~ 36) Maps of China (pg. 38) The Silk Bridge of Culture (pg. 39)
Contributors Patrick Zhang Graphic Designer Covers: The Mongols, Contacts
Jean Hsu Graphic Designer Covers: The Yao, Useful Phrases
Erica Guo Text Revisor Covers: The Tibetans, Biographies
Rishabh Kumar Text Revisor Covers: The Naxi, Staying Connected
Yoonho Cha Editor-in-Chief Covers: The ChaoXian, Editor’s Page
From a young age, Patrick has been obsessed with video games. As he grew, his passion for games continued to develop. Patrick has managed to hone his gaming skills and put them to good use. His passion for creating graphics and editing never ceases to amaze us. When he isn't dabbling with graphics, he can be seen playing more video games. Next destination: Hong Kong.
A fluffy, chin-moving, random girl who is ready to help whenever, wherever. Jean has been a member of our team since 1997. She is a valuable player and would never hesitate to take on a job. Her sense of humor has only grew over time, and Jean always has time to spare a joke. When Jean isn’t working, she can be seen shopping and singing with her friends. Her next target is Taiwan.
A humorous girl who never pauses to express her opinion. Erica was the third member to join our team. Before she joined our group, Erica spent her days as a journalist for a small paper. When she isn’t seen reading through thick pages of text, Erica can be seen with her headphones on or scolding her co-workers. She will be seen with a new column about the Uyghur Minorities.
Our favorite Indian, Rishabh is a definite asset to our team. He’s always ready to get cracking on new projects, suggests new projects, and he never steps out of bounds. Rishabh spends most of his time collaborating with Patrick. In his free time, Rishabh likes to test out new games and dig his nose into a newest, hottest novel in town. He will be visiting the Tu Nationality.
The optimistic, intelligent founder of our team; Yoonho. He founded our group in 1996. He spends most of his time buried in his work. The seldom times he is seen not drowning in his mountainous amounts of papers, he can be seen trying to solve world hunger. Read more about him at the Editor’s Note. He will be traveling to the Zhuang minority areas.
Going Somewhere? Air China got your back ~Traveling has never been this enjoyable~
Editor’s Note I welcome you with my sincerest greetings to our very first special issue of China at a Glance, Minorities; Separating China since 1949. In this special issue, our team have put together for you a variety of action-packed material included such as: 5 columns about specifically chosen Chinese ethnic minorities, useful phrases to carry out day-to-day tasks in China, countless pages of entertainment and related advertisements for your benefit. You may use the Table of Contents to navigate yourselves around the magazine or flip randomly through pages, either method; you will be filled with entertainment and information. Our team started out the business by the magazine “The Trek across the Globe” aiming to travel to all places around the globe to uncover the true identity and show our readers what true travel was all about. While working on our 24th issue, I received a call from my fellow colleague about a group of new-coming teachers at a nearby school named the International School of Beijing was arriving and needed advice and guidance in adapting to China (also aiding with their traveling spree). I consulted my team and after the team’s approval to the proposal, started on a side project from our magazine called “China at a Glance”, also meaning to uncover the secrets of China by means of traveling. This issue of China at a Glance is about five specifically chosen minorities out of 55 to talk in depth about. Catch up on the upcoming issues of both China at a Glance and The Trek across the Globe to learn more about traveling around the world or China’s 55 Ethnic Minorities and Lifestyle in China. On behalf of my team, We are honored to share the hard work we’ve put in to our first special issue of China at a Glance. If you get a chance, please visit the Contributors page to read our team’s biographies and opinions about the magazine. Also, please feel free to leave a comment of constructive criticism on the last page of this magazine to share your thoughts on how to improve the magazine or ask the columnists any question about their work. We appreciate your attention and are thrilled to have you as a reader of China at a Glance. With the sincerest gratitude,
Yoonho Cha Editor-in-Chief
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A Look into the Steppes I have just arrived at the bustling 3 terminal airport in Beijing. It is crowded with tourists coming from all over the world, but me I am not staying. I am going to take a morning flight to Hohhot the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous region. I am a freelance travel writer from Los angles. I arrive at the airport, and I am very tired from roughly 18 hours of transit. I get to a taxi to get to the city center where my guide will meet me. The taxi driver did not make it a very pleasant journey. It was a very bumpy ride, and the taxi had the smell of tobacco and Alcohol. I just wanted to lie down somewhere and sleep. I eventually do get to meet up with my guide who is a young somewhat handsome man and had a name that I never pronounce correctly, so he told me just to call him John. I asked him how we will get to the host family and he says by horse. I looked at the horse and had a sudden realization. I have no idea how to ride one of these. It takes me 15 minutes just to get on the horse, and a crowd of locals comes and watches laughing at my desperate attempts to mount the horse. Eventually I do get on the horse and start a 2-hour journey to my host family. It is a very uncomfortable journey to start with, and being very new to horse riding and not used to the bumps along the road. But within 1 hour I can see why I came here in the first place. I see endless grasslands in the Inner Mongolian Steppes. We have left the cars and noise pollution behind us at Hohhot, and now I am
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settling in to the quietness of the steppes. Which is a whole new experience for me because. I am used to the hustle and bustle of the big cities. It almost seems unreal experience for me. It has finally come in sight. A few Mongol yurts just sitting
Easily transportable Mongol Yurt
at the base of a small hill. The host family comes out and welcomes me very warmly hugging and shaking hands, somehow I end up inside the yurt. My guide tells me that the yurt organization is the same everywhere, the door faces south, the men’s sleep on the west side and the women sleep on the east side. The north facing side is for old people and honored guests. This is where I will sleep for the night. I have come just in time for lunch and it has come to my knowledge that in Mongol culture when a guest arrives you must offer food and it is also very rude to decline the food. They seem to eat a lot of dairy products and they also eat a lot of lamb and mutton, which I find delicious besides the fact that they will eventually kill one for me at dinner. After a decent lunch of cheese and goats milk. We start (more like them) the process of taking down the
A Look into the Steppes 200 kg yurt so they can relocate to a place with more grass. It took roughly an hour to take it all down and put it on a horse. Now its time for me to get on the horse and ride to a location where they will settle down for the next few months. Until the move to another place. It took was a bit less. time but it still got all the kids and adults surrounding me a laughing at mine many failed attempts. When we do start going, the host family and I have a nice conversation. He tells me he was born on the year 1969 and he has never left the grasslands, his parents are in the city because of their health. He says it has not been a good time because he had sold a few horses and sheep to get money for the medical bills. I also told a bit about myself and how I was a writer traveling to different places and writing about the local people, and how I was trying to promote western people to go explore very different places you normally would not got to. Time passed by so fast that now I have arrived and it will take another 2 hours to set it up. This time I actually help set it up, it is very complicated for the inexperienced. But it is just a frame that is different tarps that will defend you from negative 40 degrees during the wintertime. It’s a good thing that I did not come here during the winter, because I am used to wearing nothing more that thin hoodies in Los Angeles. It is the finally time for the big Dinner they put out many plates of food just for me, they pile mounds of food on my plate and I cant even finish it and when I finish one plate they immediately refill it. Everybody is happy as ever and they all put their woes behind. After the end of this
giant feast I am left stuffed as ever and I can barely walk anywhere. But it is already getting late and I am tired so I crawl into the bed that they prepared for me my guide says that tomorrow we are going to the Naadam. Which is an event that
The “Totem Pole� of the Mongols
celebrates Genghis Khan by archery and wrestling etc. ! I wake up in the morning after a decent meal with my host family they take me to annual Naadam. When I arrive I see a grand sight, thousands of people wrestling archery, I do not know where to start. I start of by trying archery and I can see that I am obviously failing by the twisted faces of all the locals, and many people trying to show me. But for me I have already failed and I am getting more and more embarrassed by the second. So I am moving on to 9
A Look into the Steppes same feeling of being carsick and the smell of alcohol and tobacco. but the world just feels a bit bigger now. it was all worth it. in the end I take a plane back to Beijing and now then I did have some time to think over the trip and thought man that was one heck of a journey.
The greeting place for the Mongol community
wrestling, apparently my opponent is the best wrestler around and some people are betting on how fast I will loose. I put on the traditional wrestling uniform and get ready to wrestle. Just as it starts he is on me in a flash, and pins me down before I can react. At that point I think I a done for the day. For the rest of the time I just explore the Naadam and all the other festivities during the day during the time I had lunch at the stalls selling some local food. when i finally look meet my guide he says that we have to leaves if I want to make my flight at 8:15pm. my host family is sad that we leave.so we start the long Horse ride back to the city center Hohhot my leaving gift is a cask of wine made by the family. ! I arrive at the city center to take a taxi to the airport and the 10
- Patrick Zhang
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The Journey into the Unknown ! The first step of my journey started from Beijing where there is a massive 3 terminal airport. It was a clear bright sunny day. I saw more people than I expected but then again I am in China. I had a bit of time before the next flight. I thought I should spend this time exploring the airport. I first went and bought myself a sandwich because I was famished. After gobbling down the sandwich down my throat. Now before I actually start my journey I need to tell you why I am going to the Naxi. ! When I stepped of the plane in Kunming Airport, the sun was shining on my face like a bright yellow flower. The bus had arrived to take me to the arrivals hall. The temperature was higher than its in in Norway which ,mad me feel slightly uncomfortable. Before I start my story I want to introduce myself. I am a Norwegian journalist who goes to interesting countries to learn about their culture and history. So then I go through all the tedious customs. Quickly picked up[ my luggage and headed out. My ride was outside which was a regular SUV. The driver did not look too happy when I woke him up from his beauty sleep. He took me to the village in a quick half an hour. I think i got ripped off because such a bumpy ride definitely not worth 50 RMB. ! I saw the people for the first time with a smiling face. The children were hiding behind their parents in fear. Before properly entering the village I took a while to see my surroundings. There were mountains in the distance and the noise of birds chirping astonished me .
The freshness in the air reminded me of Norway.
My point of view when entering the Naxi village
! I could hear classic Chinese music in the distance. Since the village was in the mountainous area the music was echoing in the distance. They walk over to me and shake my hand. They politely offered me some cakes. I took a bite of the bright yellow cake. It had a really sweet flavor. I wanted to ask them what they were giving me, unfortunately my Chinese was amateur. I politely told them I like the treat they offered me. The first thing I noticed was that there were a lot of canals in the village. The people guide me to the family I was going to live with for 24 hours. When I entered the house there were 2 middle aged people looked at me. I gave them a piece of paper which had some peculiar Chinese characters on it. After the old man read the crumpled pice of paper he welcomed me inside. ! After leaving my luggage in their house I went outside to explore the village and learn a little about the people. I saw some horse carts which were carrying some rice. I saw some women dressed in some red and yellow dresses 13
The Journey into the Unknown with a lot of makeup on their face they also had huge black capes. I saw some people who were leaving the village. I had an impression that the Naxi were slowly modernizing. China is modernizing at a really fast rate which shows us that in the next 10 to 20 years these ethnic minorities will no longer be here. I noticed people making clothing out of sheep and cattle skin. I then understood what those black capes were made of.
The cake mold that the Naxi uses to make cakes
! When I reached the middle of the village I saw this huge wooden frog totem. I was curious and wanted to know more. I kept that on my list of things to research about. I moved on. I saw that some people were preparing for some ceremony which was going to take place. ! I idiotically ask the man in English what they are doing. What happens next surprises me so much that now I believe in miracles. The man replied to me that they are preparing for the torch festival. In relief I ask him more questions about this festival. ! He tells me that this festival is about a god being jealous of the happy life a man has. He sent the prince of fire 14
to burn down man’s world. But the Prince betrayed god and told the people to light torches near their houses. When god discovered he had been tricked he beheaded the the prince of fire. So to respect the prince people light torches near their houses every lunar year. I was really interested in this festival . I wanted to see all the torches light up in synchronization. I thanked the man and moved on. While i was moving I was forced to look at the topography of the landscape as it was so beautiful. The wind blew on my face which blew my hair on my face. I thought i had done enough for the day and I should head back. When I reached the house of the people, I saw that the woman was preparing some roasted flour cakes. Just looking at the cakes my mouth started watering. The woman was giggling at me. She handed me one warm puffy cake. I stuffed it in my mouth. It tasted so good to me or it could be that I was famished. Even though I wanted to keep eating the cakes I had to see the troches light up. I quickly rushed out when the blue sky disappeared. I saw people starting to light up their torches. I sprinted to a hill from where i can see the whole village. When I took a glance at the village, I had never seen something so beautiful in my life. ! At about 9:00pm I went back to my assigned house. I could not easily sleep as there was so much going on in my mind. But as time passed, my eyes closed. The next morning I was woken up by the middle aged lady. My eyes started hurting when I opened them. It was a bright sunny day outside. I felt like that I have to do one more thing before I leave this village. I was supposed to buy something which would remind me of this village. I remembered that they make moon cakes really well. So I went to one
The Journey into the Unknown of their shops and pointed at the moon cake mould. He took out a really fancy looking calculator and showed me the price.It was a bustling price of 200.RMB Using the little Chinese I knew I said 太 了(too expensive). He was not happy, then he showed me a price of 100RMB. I said 不行不行 (this wont work). He then gives me a price of 50 RMB, which I thought was a fair price for the mould. ! After getting my “souvenir” I headed of to have some breakfast. They family made some baba again. I knew declining the food would be really rude so I took what they offered me. After having a light breakfast I wanted to make a move. ! I hoped into the SUV which would take me to the airport. The driver didn't look to happy like usual. After reaching the airport, not mentioning the bumpy ride I bought another sandwich. When I actually thought about my journey I realized that it doesn't matter where you live to have happiness.
The main water ditch system that the Naxi developed
- Rishabh Kumar
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Adding Korean Spice to a Chinese Soup Ladies and Gentlemen: this is your captain speaking; We have contacted the control tower and have granted permission to land in Changbaishan Airport. We will be landing shortly. ! After a 13-hour-long, fatiguing plane ride, I was woken by the public address message, saying that we were descending into Jilin Province airspace. I lifted my sun shade, I got a glimpse of the breathtaking view. Countless of snowcovered peaks filled the view through the window. I quickly sketched the scenery in my travel journal. It reminded me about why I was traveling to the mountains. I am a freelance journalist, publishing Since my culture background is based upon Korea, I always wondered if there would be another place where a different “version” of the Korean culture would reside. I finally decided to escape the citified environment and enter the exotic and mountainous atmosphere document a day living side by side with the Korean ethnic group in the Jilin Province. ! My train of thought was broken by the wheels of the plane landing with a thud and taxiing its way to the connecting dock to the airport. After I claimed my baggage from the carousel, a tall middleaged women was waiting for me behind the metal barricade and was waving a sign written:
“My name...Mary.” she said as she fingered at the name tag, pinned onto her chest. She begins to lead the way, outside the airport and to a helipad; near an empty airplane runway. A helicopter was waiting for me. As the helicopter departed, the early morning air of the atmosphere pierced my face as if a thousand paper cuts occurring on my face simultaneously. ! Somehow, I managed to survive the riveting helicopter ride and landed in small plain, in the middle of snow-glazed mountains that enclosed the whole area around me. Besides my frostbitten face, the smell of dank air welcomed me. Grasshoppers seemed to appreciate my presence too. Early morning birds chirped as I followed the path to my host family with Mary. Walking besides Mary, she introduces me to every exquisite flower and plant. Many of the plants and flowers are apparently, used as medicinal purposes and herbs for cooking! We also walked by an enormous crater filled with clear water that mirrored the mountains that walled the reservoir. “The lake is called...Heaven Lake.” explained Mary.
“WELCOME MR. TIM PARK” “Welcome to Changbaishan in Jilin Province!” she said with her slightly shoddy english, hesitating after each word; The totem poles I faced at the entrance
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Adding Korean Spice to a Chinese Soup I continue to walk by the rough terrain with my mouth open, in awe.
! 1 hour and 20 minutes went racing by as Mary and I were walking past beautiful sceneries and finally arrived at the house. It was approximately 8 in the morning and I was surprised to hear over the wall that the children were already awake. When it seemed that they heard the footsteps of Mary and I, the children threw the porch door open and bowed in a precise 90’ angle; greeting me with extreme courtesy...I just wish it was the same with my children...One girl and boy greeted me outside porch. I couldn’t help observing the colors that were designed with the costume. Mary explains to me:
The Hanbok that the children were wearing
“Those are called Hanbok, traditional Korean costume simplicity and harmony with nature.” The little boy was wearing baggy trousers fastened at the ankles and a jacket, which fastened on his arms. The young lady was wearing a voluminous skirt with a tight upper jacket. It seems as if the colors had a meaning. I asked Mary and 18
she replied that the colors are merely a unison of colors that join with the nature. The adults inside the house were gesturing me to enter their house. As I entered the main door, I stepped on the platform of wood; separating the foundation and the wooden doors; the expressions of the men and women suddenly darkened. Surprised by their reaction, I looked toward Mary for answers. Laughing hard, she manages to say: “The steps over foundation mean...face of god...protects house from unwanted spirits, entering house through porch. It is made of wood because it is dominant resource in mountains and it look very natural. When you step on platform, it means you want house to be haunt by ghosts and get bad luck. Bow to elders to show you are sorry.” Just like the children did to me, I flattened my back as much as my 35-year-old spine would allow me and bent forwards until I could see my toes. When I put my head back up, the elders looked at me as if they are impressed. I gave them a nice smile and entered the house. Mary introduced me to her Father, Choongmo; and her Mother, Kyungja. They were still smiling at me...to the point where I was feeling uncomfortable. Mary, noticing my discomfort; requests if her mother will prepare some lunch for me. ! Mary explained to me that the housing that I am in now is called a Hanok. It is made of rock bricks and wood. The house was designed to live in “harmony” with the nature around it and to block off icy winds coming from outside. It also has a heating system by using the fire you use to cook food to also
Adding Korean Spice to a Chinese Soup heat the floor of the house. Because the fire is shared throughout the house, I could smell the strong, bitter smell of medicinal herbs that stung my nose.
hiking were the most difficult things to do. Before I knew it, I was already doing both of them at the same time. When Choongmo and I came down from the mountains, the sun began setting. That was one image that I could never forget. Its as if the colors of the light is just enough to calm you. Like a giant, romantic fire in the sky. Its like the death
3 hours flied by so fast and it was already 11 in the morning and by the intense smell that clouded the room, I inferred that lunch was prepared. Kyungja brought my lunch on a portable wooden table. Although, I had no idea what some of the dishes were; I was able to identify some plates from restaurants in Korea Town in New York. Aside from the bowl of cooked barley in front of me, Mary explained to me this dish called Samgue-tang. From my point of view, It seemed like a cooked chicken, soaked in an oily, golden soup. Although the appearance of the soup was emetic, the smell of the meal was tempting. Mary continued explaining that Samgue-tang is only served when important guests or welcoming family The foster house that I stayed in during my travel period members return home. It is a dish where it can only taste good when over 13 of the sun, resurrecting every morning to different types of herbs is cooked in fresh start a new day. with the chicken and extracted prior to serving the dish. ! I thought I learned a lot in a day, so I decided to teach something useful to “It includes ginseng, ginger, burdock and my wife when I return from my trip. The many...” says Mary, delicious lunch sparked my interest in learning how to make a Korean meal to I couldn’t stop myself from drooling. I make my family upon my return. Mary used my hands and bit into the chicken suggested I try learning how to make the meat. Throughout my traveling career, it Kimchi. I remembered from Korea Town was one of the only meals that managed that Kimchi is a side dish made of to successfully satisfy all of my taste vegetables with a diverse choice of buds. Before I knew it, I had already seasonings. After Mary requested to finished drinking the broth. Kyungja about my curiosity, she lead me to her garden in the main terrace. There For the sake of my metabolism up in the were a large choice of vegetables to mountains, Choongmo leads me outside choose for my Kimchi. I shrugged my of the house and invites me to go collect shoulders with confusion. She gives me a some herbs. I accompanied him up hill in comforting smile and picks up a picked a nearby slope. During my travel writing cabbage from the freshly sown dirt. I career, I was once told that farming and followed her into the kitchen with a 19
Adding Korean Spice to a Chinese Soup cabbage in my hands too. After washing the cabbage, she began to peel off the layers of the cabbage skin and separated
tasted one of the freshly mixed Kimchi and I was welcomed by a sour punch hitting me. Once again, in a disgusted face, I ask Mary why the Kimchi is so sour. “Kimchi is supposed to make in Winter...Leave in large cruse over seasons and eat in summer...Kimchi...very good for your lungs like....SARS...” Mary clarified, Mary explained that Kimchi’s taste improves from sour to sweet throughout fermentation. I decided to take some Kimchi in my tupperware without fermenting it due to time constraints.
“Red pepper...added to Kimchi because...add pungency, piquancy, spice” explained Mary,
! The sun began setting as the rest of the family returned home. Kyungja told me to return to the “living room” as she began to prepare dinner. I have never seen such a large family. Other than Kyungja, Choongmo and Mary; there were a dozen men and 4 women. Mary explained that the men and women were coming back from their jobs downtown. Every morning, they had to descend down the mountain to reach the CBD of Jilin Province. A few men left the room to aid Kyungja with serving the dishes. I helped with the process by unfolding the legs of the wooden table. The men came in with the dishes and laid them out on the table. The fermented bean soup in the middle and the side dishes assigned around the soup. The women called the children and the whole family sat on the edges of the table. Each person had a porcelain bowl of barley in front of them. After saying grace, we ate in unison.
Using her hands, Kyungja mixes the seasoning and cabbage evenly within the bowl. I attempt to copy the same thing but I seemed to make a mess everywhere. I
“Porcelain come from China...You hear of Marco Polo? He spread porcelain to other regions!” says Mary with tofu in her mouth,
The living room where the smell of herbs vibrated
them into a different bowl. She then sprinkled some salt and dried crushed red pepper in the bowl. I asked Mary about where the red pepper came from, Mary translated the message then soon after, Kyungja hands me a red pepper to try. The moment the red pepper entered my mouth, my tongue screamed with all the spicy flavor. With all due respect, my face began to go into a “disgusted” face. Mary and Kyungja couldn’t stop laughing!
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Adding Korean Spice to a Chinese Soup I swept up the rest of the grains in my bowl using a spoon and dumped it in my mouth. Everyone was finished their meals too. The women got up from their seats and cleared the table and took the plates to the kitchen. The men and I picked up the table and folded the legs and put it back into the shed. The women first took turns showering in the bathroom and the men sat down in a circle outside in the main porch. The bright luminous moon shined amongst the somber evening
family in unison? Each person plays a necessary role in the family. Every member helps each other with their jobs. While my trip, I was able to assimilate so many ideas about the Korean minority people. Visiting “the second Korea� reminded me about my true heritage in Korea. Assimilation is not losing your heritage. it is the process where you identify the new culture as yours, you mold and shape it to fit you.
The last photo taken at the foot of the mountain
clouds. By the time the whole family finished showering, it was about 11 pm. The children were sleeping on sheets, laid nicely on the floor. The women slept in a separate room from the men; including me, sadly. ! The next morning, I left silently with a letter written to Mary, thanking her family for the hospitality and generosity. As I headed back to the helipad to leave Changbaishan, I thought over about the strong relationship that the family had between them. One moment to remember during this trip was the family dinner. Over 12 people...eating on the same table...how can that not show a
- Yoonho Cha 21
Timeless China “Soaring above the Forests of China's Guangxi Province, are the beckoning mountains of Dayaoshan, home of the Yao, who have carved out an idyllic way of life in villages that have been untouched by time.” (Daffy-dill, 2009) ! Untouched by time. That was what grabbed me the most from the article. The idea of a community within the mountains, isolated, uninfluenced by society. In a fast paced, ever evolving world, everyone wants to stray away from this hectic society once in a while. As a journalist currently living in Los Angeles, I had long wanted to see this place for myself. Last month I finally got the chance. ! I glanced at the schedule board for my train. And there it was, from Beijing to Liuzhou, Guangxi, listed to arrive in one minute. I had just gotten off a 10-hour flight from Los Angeles, then a one-hour taxi ride to the train station. I stood behind a long winding line of people, when suddenly red lights started flashing ahead. The train flew into view, the strong wind threatening to blow the ticket out of my hand. I squeezed onto the train along with the huge crowd. Tired and exhausted, I looked around for empty seats. But as more people shoved inside, I was pushed to a corner, with a tall hairy man towering over me. The smell of body odor and onions filled the air. I held my breath, closed my eyes, and wished 22
to be anywhere else but here. “The train is approaching Liuzhou city.” The announcement blasted across the room, we had finally arrived. ! Confused, adrift, helpless. I felt like a lost puppy as I stood in front of the train station, not knowing what to do. People around me were chattering in Chinese, taxis came and went. But where was my ride? “Ms. Jean Hsu?” Someone tapped me on the shoulder. Turning around, I found myself face to face with a short stout man that looked to be in his late 30s. “Yes that’s me,” I replied. “My name is Bob, and I’m going to be taking you to the village where you’re going to be staying at. Hurry, follow me, the bus for Jinxiu County is leaving soon.” ! The Jinxiu Mountain is one of the many peaks that make up the Dayaoshan Mountains. Located in the southwest range and 140km away from Liuzhou, the bus ride was
Tall wooden bases supporting the large house on cliff
Timeless China more than two hours long. As numerous rice fields and lush valleys flashed by the screen, I was
miles. The atmosphere was covered with a blanket of serenity. Looking down, I found myself looking at a breathtaking view of a rich biodiversity environment. River streams glistened under the sun. Even from meters above, I could almost hear the whooshing whisper of the water. When I looked harder, I could just about make out the cows grazing on the tranquil fields cushioning beneath the mountain. In this moment, I knew that my journey here had been worth it. I also knew that this was going to be a life changing experience.
A steep rock crevasse between secluded houses
fascinated by how changeless the area remained. The rural landscape seemed to be bound in a sonorous slumber. Gradually, looming peaks rendered with fog came into view, enclosing the fields and valleys in a warm embrace. ! As we got closer to the mountains, the road began to ascend. Pines and firs sheltered the path uphill. The air was clear and crisp, sprayed with the scent of the forest. Occasionally, there were distant animal sounds that sounded strangely like a choking chicken. As we got closer to the community, the vague cluster of villages became more vivid. ! The scenery was overwhelming. Who knew that the magnificent mountain hid such secluded, sequestered villages? There were no cars, no bustling crowds of people like back in LA. Instead there were birds chirping, not a single person to be seen within
! Suddenly, I saw the vague outline of a man and woman coming towards me. The family I am going to stay with for the night. From a distance, I saw that the man was wearing a buttoned jacket with a belt and short trousers. The woman was wearing a short collared jacket with a cloth belt and long skirt. Even from afar, I could see the silver hairpin on her head sparkling in the sunlight. As they got closer, the beautifully embroidered patterns on their collars, sleeves, and trouser legs became visible. I also registered the earnest smile on their faces. This I interpreted as a sign of welcome, since our languages were not the same. Most of the Yao minority speaks the Yao language of the Chinese-Tibetan language. Others speak the Miao, Dong, Chinese, or Zhuang language. Since I could not understand any of those, the only way I could communicate with them was to return their warm smile.
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Timeless China ! Saying goodbye to Bob, I followed them into the village. Everyone came out to welcome me wholeheartedly. In front of me was a rainbow of colors, in some ways resembling the chaotic, diverse streets of America. Dayaoshan mountain is made up of five groups of Yao: An Yao, Chashan Yao, Ao Yao, Shanzi Yao, and Hualan Yao, each with their own customs and style of dress. Short belted tops without collars, different length white dresses, long belted top with long and short pants; the clothing varied with the different groups of the minority they were from. However, what intrigued me the most were their headdresses. Almost everybody had a unique headpiece, consisting of layers and layers of cloth wrapped around their head with intricate designs. Some were embellished with metallic bands, some were circular, and some were dripping with silver beads. It appeared so uncomfortable and heavy that it seemed a miracle that they managed to wear them for so long. ! By now the sun was beginning to set, its last rays stretching across the horizon. Everyone went back to his or her houses, and I was shown to mine. My host family lived in a little wooden tiled house, built on stilts and surrounded on each side with trees. The wooden structure allowed it to blend into the background, like it was a part of the landscape. In some ways, it was. Because of its location deep in the highlands, the architecture here is closely linked to the mountains. Woods, bamboo; all accessible in a place secluded by 24
nature. Most of the people here live in small barracks or bamboo houses, but some had also moved into modern tiled roof communities. ! I can see why, I thought to myself. Although the stilted household seemed cozy enough, the barred windows made it seem as cold and unfeeling as prison, and the poles looked like it was about to collapse. I wonder why they did that. The wooden stairs creaked loudly with each step, leading to a modest door. It was nothing grand, merely a wooden opening that much resembled what was inside. Inside, the meager furniture was old and
The door made to be harmonious with its setting
rusty. A table, two chairs, a small kitchen area. Flashes of home came to my mind. Compared to this, the 20
Timeless China square meters flat seemed like a luxury. ! Like them, I would be spending tonight on a mat on the floor. For such an elevated location, the house we surprisingly warm. Must be the timber walls, isolating the heat. The air, too, was not as suffocating as it seemed from the outside. Instead, it was redolent with the fresh smell of nearby trees. The epiphany struck me like a bullet. That’s what the stilts are for, circulating the air! But within that airiness, there was something else. A peculiar aroma that stank of animal’s manure. Giving in to my exhaustion, I fell asleep almost right away, despite the hard floor and the droning chirp of the crickets outside. ! “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” I jumped up, and looked outside the window. “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” There was the rooster again, peaking its head out from beneath the house. So that’s where the smell last night was coming from…It came to my attention that that was not the only one. Bending down, I saw the tips of several other beaks pecking at the floor. The presence of these animals made the house feel warmer, the heat emanating off them seemed to permeate the whole house. I glanced at my watch, 5am. But by now, my hosts had already come back from a morning’s work. The man was carrying a bunch of branches on his way up the wooden steps; the woman was carrying a bundle of plants, only a few steps behind him. I inferred that agriculture and forestry were the two main occupations of the Yao minority. The warm humid
climate is perfect for plantation, and the rich forest resources apt for agroforestry. ! Occupation is not the only thing the physical location has influenced. Food and diet, too, seemed to be affected. For the first time I noticed that there on the small table, sat a bowl of rice, muddy potatoes, and freshly harvested corn.
The interior design of the Yao house; warm yet isolated
Wooden chopsticks lay on the side. I felt warm with hospitality. Such courtesy, I thought chuckling. I would eat it if I knew how to use chopsticks. ! By noon, everyone had gathered in the big area in the middle of all the villages. What was going on? People were dressed in their finest clothing, each holding 80 cm long drums. I watched in fascination as they began singing a song in a language I did not understand, they looked like a walking kaleidoscope, joyfully dancing in circles.
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Timeless China ! The date was October 16th, what I didn't know was that this was also the date of the most prominent celebration in the Yao minority. The Panwang festival. Or in other words, the day the Yao express their reverence of their earliest known ancestor, Panwang. ! Before I knew it, someone pulled me into the crowd. Somewhere within the chaos, I was handed a jacket and a cloth belt. An old woman began carefully wrapping my head with ribbons and cloths, and then I was pushed back into the gathering. After a while, I found myself dancing along with them. Silver bangles jingled merrily, the drums pounded triumphantly, the people sung proudly. Even though I had no idea what they were singing, it didn't matter. In fact, nothing else seemed to anymore. What mattered was that we were here in this moment, our hearts as one.
indigenous Yao minority, were now long behind me. "The lofty peaks are crowned with smoky clouds In the forest centenarian trees endure"(Daffydil 2009) ! In a volatile and shifting world, the Dayaoshan Mountains remained
Panorama from the foster home’s window
! However, that moment ended as abruptly as it had come. Like the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun. Indeed. Two hours flashed by without me knowing, and I had yet to catch the 3 pm bus downhill. I waved goodbye to the friendly Yao people who had treated me so kindly, knowing that they will always have a place in my heart. Despite our short acquaintance, I knew for a fact that I would be in theirs as well. ! This time, the road began to descend. Soon, I was back to the rustic landscape, the sprawling meadows, and grazing cows. I looked back one last time. The verdant slopes, the home of the 26
inexpugnable to society’s influences. Not only preserving its natural resources, but also the culture of the Yao. A culture I couldn’t wait to share with the world.
- Jean Hsu
Woven Dreams to Tibet !
Beautiful, magnificent, unforgettable, all words to describe Tibet’s renowned landscape. The land was notorious for its grand mountains with snowy peaks that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. These were the “rumors” that had kept my childhood dreams alive. There had never been any other place that I had showed as much interest in. Ever since the beginning of my journalism career, I had yearned to reach Tibet.
The pathway to the foster home in Tibet
! Even as I grew older, the dream never faded. There was literally no other childhood dream that survived past my college years. Even when my career lifted off and other opportunities arrived; Tibet still lingered in the depths of my mind. So when my new company offered me a chance to write up on Tibet, there was really nothing more to say. ! I had taken a plane and a train rides to the station in Lhasa. It had been a grueling sixteen hours and I was beginning to grow irritable. I had pondered a bit over how to communicate with the station
By: Erica Guo manager. Thankfully, my guide arrived to bring me to the village before anything else happened. She came forward to introduce herself, smiling all the way. She told me to call her a name that I couldn’t pronounce without biting on my tongue every other syllable. It was embarrassing yes, but my guide had the heart to remember I was a foreigner, and asked me to call her Penny instead. Grinning, Penny brought me over to her truck, informing me that this was the way we were going to arrive at the village. Penny’s smile was contagious, and before I knew it, I was smiling as well. When my spirit had lifted, I finally took notice of my surroundings. ! Those who say Tibet is a wondrous land, they are not deceiving you. The sight was breathtaking. Here I was, complaining about how everything was going wrong, when in reality, everything I ever needed was right in front of me. Penny laughed at my facial expressions. She told me her favorite part of being a tour guide was seeing the look of amazement of the faces of tourists once they had a taste of Tibet. Vibrant greenery was laid out around me, and as the truck rumbled on, my horrid mood evaporated away with the morning mist. After just an hour, Penny pointed out the village in the horizon. ! As the truck rolled into the village, many people and animals began crowding around the vehicle. It wasn’t everyday that they got to meet someone from a whole other country. Once the truck halted, we climbed down to greet the people. Surrounding us weren’t just people, but goats and mules as well. An aroma that wasn’t 27
Woven Dreams to Tibet quite pleasant entered my nose and I almost couldn’t hold back a rude gag. Penny introduced me to them using words that I couldn’t hope to understand. There were a few Ooos and Ahhhs in the crowd. It was a bit overwhelming really. Uncertain, I had simply waved shyly and hurried along to meet the people who I would be staying with. ! I was staying with a nice couple that had always opened their homes for strangers. They smiled plenty and spoke in fractured English, but they were one of the friendliest people I have ever met. They didn’t pry, were polite, and spoke to me as if I was a family member. Today is a special day, they told me. When I asked for more information, they just smiled and shook their heads.
The bridge connecting house to house
! Penny dragged me away to give me a tour of the village. Lane after lane, tall, square, stone buildings greeted me around every corner we took. Intricate designs covered many of the walls. The architecture was fairly simple but that wasn’t what mattered most. When I inquired about the housing, Penny simply said it got 28
By: Erica Guo cold up here in the winter, and stone houses were great for blocking out wind and keeping the heat in. She then pointed out the Tibetan flags that were dancing in the wind and continued on her tour of Tibet. ! Suddenly, music appeared out of nowhere. Happy, bubbly music swirled and twirled around us. Surprised, I immediately turned to Penny, hoping for an explanation. Penny kept her mouth shut but took my hand and pulled me along. We burst through the mass of buildings and reach a long, winding river. There, everyone gathered. The herds of animals had all disappeared. Both men and women wearing beautiful silk robes were dancing along the river. Twisting and turning, each movement was precise and filled with such meaning. Penny had a happy, satisfied smile plastered over her face. She told me that I came right in the middle of the Golden Star Festival. ! Laughter bubbled around me as it dawned on me. I had heard about the Golden Star Festival. Very little people outside of the Tibetan community have witnessed this amazing festival. The people took my hands and guided me towards the river. They smiled at me encouragingly, and gestured towards the river. Penny laughed joyously as well, informing me about the Golden Star Festival as everyone danced and bounced with happiness. The Golden Star Festival is held to wash away sins, mainly greed and jealousy. It’s for people to abandon their egos and just celebrate. Picnics and ritual cleansing in the rivers would be held. Tibetans had this festival to free their
Woven Dreams to Tibet By: Erica Guo souls, to clean them, and to embrace themselves. As I mingled among the Tibetans, the feeling of community blossomed in me. There was nothing more I wanted to do other than rejoice with the Tibetans. We had a picnic and I was introduced to traditional Tibetan foods, like Balep Korkun, a flatbread cooked on a skillet instead of in an oven. That day, there was nothing else but merriment. ! Dreams do come true, and sometimes they even exceed your expectations. I will never forget how lovely Tibet was. Not just the landscape, but also the welcoming community. For them to accept a foreigner so easily really stands for how kind and generous they are. The Tibetans opened up to me, and I to them. Everyone was ready to help and to show me the Tibetan traditions. No one hesitated to lend a hand and the teamwork between everyone was something that would be in my mind forever. I left early in the next morning, the people waving and giving their farewells in their broken English. The “rumors� were no longer rumors. To conclude, my trip to Tibet was appeasing and I learned more than just Tibet, but about the people. I had followed my dream to venture into Tibet, and the outcome was more than extraordinary.
The cluster of Tibetan houses in a community
- Erica Guo 29
THE BEST TRAVEL GEAR THE BEST SEASON Breathes, reflects, and retains heat
Down 1. A serious disagreement or argument 2. The unjust or prejudicial treatment of other different categories of people or things 3. Lack of interest 6. Variation of accept 8. A relatively small group of people 10. Absorb or digest 13. A sudden upsetting or surprising event
Up 2. Disturbance from a proper, original, or usual state of place 4. The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievements 5. Of or relating to the national and culture origins 7. The ability to understand and share the feelings of others
Useful Contacts 1
Police: 110 Medical Emergency: 120 Weather Information: 121 Emergency Responders: 112 Traffic Emergency: 122 ( numbers are the same all across China )
Beijing Beijing Taxi: 6831-2288 - There are taxi stations all over Beijing - It costs roughly 100-200 RMB to get from the airport to the city center - Waiting and traffic jam time when the speed is lower than 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) per hour is charged extra the fare of 2 kilometers for each 5 minutes during the rush hours, and the fare of 1 kilometer for each 5 minutes during other time period. Shanghai Shanghai Taxi numbers: Dazhong taxi: 96822 Qiangsheng taxi: 6258-0000 Bashi taxi: 96840 Jinjiang taxi: 96961 Haibo taxi: 96933 Chongqing • Chongqing Shunming Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: 023-52227208 • Chongqing Gongyun Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: 023-63316190
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Useful Contacts 2
Ctrip Telephone numbers China: 800-820-6666 Hong Kong: 852-3610-6666 International: +86-21-3406-4888
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Expedia Telephone numbers 4006-161616 010-58602288 010-58602288 (Beijing) 020-85509255 (Guangzhou) 0755-88263290 (Shenzhen) 021-61071019 (Shanghai) 025-84782121 (Nanjing)
Kayak international phone number 1-855-529-2501
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Useful'Phrases'in'English'and'Chinese Below&are&some&phrases&you&should&use&to&speak&to&people&you&will&meet&at&these& minority&locations. English Hello
Chinese 你好 好 (More&respectful=&recommended&if&talking& to&elders) &
What’s&your&name? My&name&is…
How&are&you?& I’m&Eine,&thanks.&What&about&you? Where&are&you&from? What&country&are&you&from? I’m&from… Pleased&to&meet&you I’m&happy&to&make&your&acquaintance Good&morning
(More&informal=try&not&to&say&this&unless& it’s&during&a&phone&conversation) 你叫什么名
我的名字叫… 你好 ？ 我很好， 。&你 你是从 里来的？
？
你是 国人？ 我是从…来的。 很高 你 我很 心能 早安
跟你
面
早上好 Good&afternoon Good&evening Good&night This&is&delicious! Bon&Appetite Take&your&time
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早 午安 上好
安 太美味了！
慢慢吃 慢用&（remember&to&be&respectful!)
I&don’t&understand What&does&that&mean? Can&you&please&say&that&again? Can&you&speak&more&slowly? Sorry
我听不懂 那是什么意思？ 你可以在重
一次
？
你可以麻 不起
得慢一点
？
不好意思 Excuse&me，may&I&ask… How&much&is&this? Can&you&lower&the&price&a&little? This&is&a&rip=off! If&you&don’t,&I&will&not&buy&it
抱歉
个多少
可以便宜一点 所在 里？
Where&is&the&bathroom? I&love&you Will&you&go&out&with&me?
？
洗手 在 我 你
里？
你愿意和我交往么？ How&do&you&get&to…? 要怎么走才能到…? Can&you&describe&a&bit&about&your&diet&to& 你可以 我介 本民族的 me? ？ What&are&some&of&your&main&food? 你 主要的食品是什么？ Where&does&your&food&come&from?&
食
你 的食物都是从 来的？ Can&you&describe&a&bit&about&your&housing&你可以 我介 一点 于本民族的房子 to&me? ？ Why&are&your&houses&built&this&way? 什么要 么盖房子？ Why&do&they&have&these&characteristics? 你 Can&you&describe&a&bit&about&your& clothing&to&me? Why&are&they&made&of&this&kind&of& material? What&is&special&about&your&clothing? What&are&the&main&occupations&here?&& Why?
它 什么有 些特点？ 你可以 我介 一点 于本民族的
着
？ 你
的服
你
的服装有什么特点？ 里人 主要从事什么工作？ 什么？
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How&has&the&physical&environment& inEluenced&your&lifestyles? What&kinds&of&technology&do&you&use? How&has&technology&changed&your&life?
四周的 境
Goodbye See&you&next&time
再
么
生了什
的影响？
你的生活中采用什么
的科技和技
你的生活有着什么
拜拜 下次再
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你 的日常生活
的影响？
？
When you have the whole world in your hands, there will be a rolex on your wrist...
“ y
Maps of China
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The Silk Bridge of culture
On the path where Silk, was more important than milk; !
Merchants set off to trade,
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with treasures like gold and jade;
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The voyage from west to east;
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to barter goods for fleece;
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The road where cultures were mixed;
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and some destroyed by the twist;
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Not only cultures but diseases were spread;
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which were a major threat;
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On a path where Silk,
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was more important than milk;
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Where people can interact and discover,
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by trading with one another;
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It was one road,
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where exploration glowed;
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